Method of closing tubular bodies.



F. HEGE L I METHOD OF 0L0 TUB BODIES.

APPLICATION MAR.31, 1913. 339 Patented Mar. 3, 1914.

11mm" I JIM! i n" Ill UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK HEGEWALD, OF IBVINGTON, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOB TO KREMENTZ & COM- PANY, A. COPARTNERSHIP CONSISTING OF GEORGE K. KREMENTZ AND JULIUS A. -LEBKUECHEB, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY;

METI-IOD F CLOSING 'IUlTU IJAR BODIES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 31, 1913. Serial No. 757,797.

' To all whom. it may concern Be it known that I. FRANK HEGEWALD, .a citizen of the United States, residing at Irvington,.in the State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Closing Tubular- Bodies, of which the following is a clear, full, and exact description.

This invention relates to an improved method of closing-the end of a tubular stru ture, which is provided with a flange at o e end. It has a particular value in the manufacture of jewelry, such as collar, cuff, shirt and stud buttons.

The object of the invention is to permit the manufacture of such articles as above set forth, particularly out of one piece of metal, so that that part of the device which heretofore has remained open to catch dirt or the like may be absolutely sealed to make a more sightly and amore sanitary device.

For a great many years a collar button known as the Krementz button has been upon the market in which the tubular shank connects the closed button end of the device, while surrounding the tubular shank at the other end is a flange turned over and crimped in at the outer edge. This has heretofore presented an open hole at the end of the tube adjacent-the flange. It is the object of this invention to provide a method of closing this hole, whereby the improved product set forth herein can be obtained.

In carrying out the invention the tube with its outstanding flange is set into a rapidly rotating die, the die surrounding the shank, the flange projecting. above the face of the dies; then while the die and the flange tube are rotating, a tool, preferably consist ing of a roundedwheel, is forced down upon .the outerv periphery of the flange, bending it down onto the face of the flange. The tool is then moved radially inward, maintained a definite distance from the face of the flange, either by feel on the part of the operator or by mechanical contrivance, and it pushes a circular or spiral wave of metal inward toward the tubular center until there is formed surrounding the tubular center an upstanding circular wall of metal abovethe plane of the disk. At this point, whilemot'nec- 'essary, it is advisable to relieve part of the pressure of the wheel as" against the faceof the disk, and continue the motion of the wheel toward the center, going backward and forward toward the center with more or less pressure until this upstanding wall has been ironed .into, and the metal thereof closing the, same thoroughly without having in any way lessened the crosswsectional area between the flange and the tubular shank, thus it will be seen I produce out of one piece, a tube, a flange and an inturned filling plug all integral,- out of the same piece of metal without having changed the strength at the point of joinder.

' The scope of my invention will be pointed out in the claims. v

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of an ordinary lat-he and tool holder equipped for the practising of this invention. F ig'. 2 is a central sectional view of the die for holding the article. This is shown'as at the beginning of the operation. Fig. 3 is a view similar operation. Fig. 4 is a view similar to the preceding two figures showing a third degree of carrying out the operation. Fig. 5 shows a fourth position of completion. Fig. 6 shows the finishing of the article.

As shown in the drawings, the ordinary lathe chuck 1 is provided with a'two-part die 34- adapted through its center bore to take the shankof a tube of a stud or other button. The button is shown in the succeeding figures as comprised of a hollow tubular chuck is rotated at a high speed, and in the tool holder a wheel 7 loosely mounted on its shaft 8 is caused to impinge first upon the outer rim of the dished flange 6,;as shown position shown in Fig. '3 forming a wave in front of the tool 7 as indicated at8 in'J'Fig. 3. While I have shown in Fig. 1 the wheel "I as'mounted in the chuck for movement in-, wardly, and sidewisewithits motion toward the chuck prevented by a stop 9 so as to limit the sidewise mot-ion of thewheel, to

of the wheel will be at all times equal to the width of the flange, nevertheless I find that the tool may be held in the hand and the shank 5vwith a dished flange 6. The lathe Patented Mar. 3 -1914..

caused to flow into the open tubular end,

to Fig. 2, showing a further step in the in Fig. 2, to press the outer edge down into that shown "in Fig. 3, so that the spacebe; tween the face of the die and the periphery- .flange and shank rotated by any suitable means when the skill of the Workman by thev feel ,of the tool can carry out the entire operation with entire. success. 'After the device has placed the flange in the position of Fig. 3, and provided a wave 8, the'wheel is moved radially inward to force the wave along into some such shape as shown in Fig.

at at '9. This motion iscontinued farther,

until the wave is forced over into the position shown in 10 of. Fig. 5, whenit is often desirable to ease of]? the pressure and-iron down the top of the wave 10 to fill the metal down into the center and into the corners of the dies 11 to produce-the efi'e'ct of Fig.

' 6. To accomplish this, while it may be done i' tend to abandon my right to make such claims in another application to be filed "hereafter.

I claim as my invention:

1. Theherein described method of closing the opening in 'a tube having a flange atone end consisting of rotating the tube and, flange v bringing pressure to hear from the outsiddof the flange inwardly to cause an upstanding wave of metal at the center, and then forcing said wave of metal into andacross the open ended tube. t 2. The herein'described method of closing the open end' of a tubular shank provided with a fiange consisting of rotating the shank and flange in a'snitable die, the flange being a distance away from the face of the die then applying a tool from the outer end of the flange inwardly to force said flange down upon the face, then moving said tool radially toward the center to force a wave of metal into and across the open hole.

Signed at Newark in the State of New Jersey thi-ssf56th day of March 1913.-

FRANK HEGEWALD.

Witnesses W. 0.. P RsoN, RIQHARD MENTZ. 

